Doctor Who: The Looking Glass War
by Just Jamie
Summary: A sequel to my Dr Who story Echoes This story picks up directly where Echoes left off. Taking the newly regenerated 14th Doctor, Ace and Jamie to meet the stalwarts of Star Fleet right after the events of Star Trek: First Contact. Feel free to tell me
1. Chapter 1

"I tell you. It's fate that is guiding us!"

"And I'm telling you it's pure luck that we get anywhere at all in this old thing!"

"Don't you listen to her old girl. She's just jealous that she hasn't aged as gracefully as you."

"You what? Do you really want to try out one of your new regenerations so early on?" Ace stood defiant in the console room staring down the new, and in her opinion, petulant Doctor.

"Now you don't mean that Ace. I know you better than you know yourself." 

"Yeah maybe you did, before you dumped me on Earth without a word of explaination! I've still not forgiven you for that you know?"

"I did tell you why Ace, you just weren't listening. There was something that needed doing. I knew people would die. If you had been one of them... Well I would have been distraught. Entire civilisations were wiped from existence in that war." The Doctors eyes lost their focus for a while as he remembered The events. "You would have been in mortal danger, constant danger, and I would have been in no position to help." 

"I could have looked after myself." Ace argued, though only half heartedly, she knew the Doctor wasn't telling her something, and it was big. He liked his secrets, always did. But this wasn't so much a secret as it was a burden to him. A weight on his soul that he was unable to lift on his own. "Any way, I'm only four years older, this old thing must be a few hundred years on from when I left."

The Doctor brightened slightly, knowing that Ace was deliberately trying to divert him from his obviously painful memories. "Yes well, you look good for it."

"Aye, I have to agree wi' ye' there Doctor. Ye're a fine lookin' lass!" If it weren't for Jamie's innocent charm, Ace might have taken it as a come on and punched the Scotsman.

Instead she blushed at the earnest compliment, "Uhm, thanks Jamie."

The Doctor almost laughed at Ace's temproary discomfiture but something on the console got his attention first, "hmm, that's odd. That shouldn't be there." He peered closer at the display. "A CVE? But all but one of them was closed. How could this be a new one, without the people of Logopolis maintaining them?"

"I have no idea what you just said Prof.. Doctor, plain english please?" Ace looked at the Doctor wondering if he would bother explaining. 

"It's a hole in spacetime, whereby new spacial mass can travel between universes, effectively staving off entropy, albeit temporarily." Convinced that this was all the explaination required the Doctor returned to his analysis of the anomaly. Ace and Jamie stared at each other with a complete lack of comprehension in their eyes.

Suddenly the Tardis was rocked uncontrollably, all three of the travellers were shaken and fell to the console room floor. The Doctor was the first to pull himself to his feet with the help of the console to bear his weight. "A gravity well? You should have been able to adjust to that girl. But then again, this is immense. Can that CVE really be generating this much gravity? The mass on the other side of the event horizon must be immense, we're being pulled in, hold tight." Another wave of sudden movement and the Tardis rocked again, and shot towards the CVE. Reality was pulled inside out, and the Tardis crew felt as though they were as well. For a moment Ace felt as though she would vomit, but then it was over. As suddenly as the shaking had begun, it was over. The Doctor was again on his feet first looking over the console. "Well all the stars are in the right position, no negative factoring. So we're not in E-Space, that's a good thing. The bad thing being, I have no idea where or when we are. The Tardis is picking up familiar star clusters nearby, but is completely unable to identify where we are in relation to them."

"OK? So we're lost, but at least we're lost somewhere familiar, I can live with that. Can this thing get alzheimers?" Ace half joked.

"No it cannot. The Tardis has a sophisticated self repairing neural network. Any sign of anything like that and the Tardis would immediately re-route any vital systems until it had repaired or replaced the affected neural pathways." The Doctor retorted. "There is also evidence of recent chroniton activity in the area, so whoever is out there has been travelling through time."

"Could it be the timelords?" Jamie asked, finally getting to his feet nursing a bump on the back of his head.

"I don't think so Jamie," said the Doctor, abandoning the console to check on Jamie "It's a slight bump, but any dizziness, let me know immediately. Right, I'm going to check the scanner, I could be able to get my bearings that way." The Doctor hit the scanner switch, and a holographic display appeared over the console. "That would appear to be Earth! And.." The Doctor stopped as the image rotated to show what was, relatively speaking, behind the Tardis. It revealed a saucer, looming much to close for comfort. "Evasive manuevers, hold tight it could get bumpy." The Doctor hit the Dematerialisation switch and the rotor sprung into life.

Aboard the saucer there was a bustle of activity, "Captain, short range sensors just picked up a minute chroniton displacement within 50 meters of the ship."

"After what we've just been through, I'm not taking any chances, continue scanning for anything unusual." At that a loud siren began wailing.

"Intruder alert, Deck 5 section 12."

"Security personnel to Deck 5. I want you to lead the team. Mr Worf!"

U.S.S. Enterprise. Starfleet Registry NCC 1701-E.  
Deck 5. Section 12. 

"Oh look, grey walls. You always did know how to show a lady a good time Doctor." Ace Chided.

"I also remember a time when you would have snarled at me for calling you a lady." The Doctor smiled as Ace caught up with the comment a few moments later. "I think the Tardis dropped us off inside that ship we saw on the scanner. If that was Earth we saw, then this may be an Earth ship, so the crew could be friendly."

"Aye, but they could also be bug eyed beasties ready to attack and kill on sight." Jamie added.

"Fair point, and given our track record, perhaps stealth would be our best option right now." 

"Stop right where you are!" A gruff voice shouted from along the corridor.

"Oh well, it was a nice idea while it lasted." The Doctor looked and saw five people running along the corridor, the individual at the front of the group was immense, dark skinned and with a pronounced ridged forhead. "Good evening, I am the Doctor, and..." The alien at the head of the group growled. "Oh, I'm sorry, i should have said, Good morning." The Doctor's comment and lopsided smile met with a steely glare from their new captors.

"I am lieutenant Worf, you will come with me. Any deviation from my direction, will result in my men shooting you where you stand."

"Charmed I'm sure." The doctor said, desperately trying to defuse the situation. "As I was saying, I am the Doctor, this is Ace, and this is Jamie. We're travellers and materialised here to avoid colliding with your lovely ship." The Doctor noted that Worf's expression had not changed in the slightest.

"You will walk ahead of me, any unauthorised movement and..."

"Yes, yes, we know the drill. You'll shoot us where we stand." 

"Exactly. Now move." As the group passed the Tardis, Worf paused for less than a second. "Guard that thing!" One of his security detatchment immediately stopped and stared at the incongruous shape of the police telephone box.

"That thing, as you called it, is perhaps the most sophisticated piece of equipment you are likely to encounter in your life. I do hope she didn't hear you, she's getting very touchy these days."

Again, there was not reaction from the stoic Mr Worf. "Stop here." They had stopped outside a set of doors. The Doctor could pick up the sound of movement, an elevator of some kind. The doors swooshed open. "Inside!"

Once inside, worf said, "Bridge", and the lift was in motion.

"Voice activation? Well I never, I've been meaning to install that on the lifts in the Tardis, never gotten around to it though, always somewhen to be. I'm sure you know how it is."

"No."

"Ah. alright. So we're going to the bridge? Your captain want's to see us then? Very good, soon have this misunderstanding cleared up." The Doctor wondered why Worf was smiling.

The lift doors opened onto a compact and dimly lit area, lined with consoles, and in what looked like a severe state of dissarray. "I'll have full engine control back in a few minutes captain. We're first in the queue at McKinley. I'd estimate a 28 day clean up and then we'll be back in business." The voice came from all around them, and the Doctor noted it was a bald man standing to the front section who responded.

"Understood, Mr LaForge, proceed at your earliest convenience." The man looked round, "Ah our guests." Sarcasm dripping on every word. "Who are you and what the hell are you doing aboard my ship?"

"As I explained to Mr Worf, I am the Doctor, this is Ace and Jamie, my travelling companions. We arrived here completely by accident, an evasive maneuver to avoid colliding with the hull of your ship." 

"Doctor? Doctor Who?"

"Yes, heh, quite."

"Sickbay to Captain Picard." Another voice, female this time.

"Yes Doctor" The captains voice softened somewhat, the Doctor noted.

"I have a final casualty count. We lost 43 crewmen to the Borg. 40 were assimilated the other 3 were killed in the fighting. 17 injuries, the most critical have been transported to starfleet medical. How are things up there?"

"We have some intruders, can you come up to check them out? They look human, but I want to be certain of that."

"On my way."

With that, the intercom link was terminated. "Picard? Picard? I know that name from somewhere. Where do I know that name from? Of course, chateau Picard. Your Beaujolis is a masterpiece. i remember having a bottle of the 2250 one year, absolutely exquisite."

"Thank you, I'm so glad you enjoyed it." Again the sarcasm was self evident. "You still haven't answered my questions fully enough. What are you doing here?"

"As I said, it is purely an accident. We would be more than happy to be on our way. If you could just..." The Doctor didn't get the chance to finish his sentence as a blinding flash of light filled the bridge of the starship.

"Oh no, not now Q." Said Picard in an exasperated voice.

He turned, but was shocked by what he saw. A bloody and battered man in what appeared to have once been the same uniform that he himself wore. "Jean Luc, it's all over. The cosomos is doomed. I just thought I'd let you know." And the man collapsed.

The bridge of the Enterprise was a cacophony of different voices all speaking at once. The captain was asking his female Doctor a question, she was asking a medtech for a hypo. Worf was snarling to the intercom that he needed more security personnel on the bridge. 

Then the alert sirens went off.

"What the devil is going on today? If this is a malfunction, someone's head will roll." Picard looked drained as he sat in the chair in the mid-section of the bridge.

"Sir, a vessel of unknown configuration just dropped out of warp, it's heading directly for us." A young man, no. The Doctor noted circuitry, an android? 

"Shields mr Data. Is what's left of the fleet in any condition to assist?"

The Android replied, "Shields are at 65, engineering reports that is the best they can do without time in spacedock. Other ships in the fleet are moving to join us to intercept the intruder. The Alexandra, the Yosemite, and the Intrepid are en-route. Time to intercept with the intruder is 4 minutes." 

"Jean Luc, I have to get Q to sickbay. I don't know if he's really ill or not, but going on appearances, I would say he's critical."

"Alright Beverley, do what you can for him. Transporter room 2, emergency transport, Dr Crusher and patient, directly from the bridge to sickbay." The woman identified as Dr Crusher smiled as she was swallowed by a shimmering light and vanished along with the mysterious Q"

"Sir, we are being hailed by the incoming vessel." The android Data said. 

"On screen, and let's hope they're friendly."

The Doctor gasped as the image sprung onto the wall in front of them. "We are the Daleks. You have been identified as being enemies of the Daleks, you will surrender to us and be assimilated. If you do not comply, you will be exterminated."

"What the hell was that?" A tall bearded man who had somehow managed to appear in the chair next to the captain, stood up.

"I have no idea number one. But they sounded enough like the Borg for us to not take them seriously."

"They're called Daleks. Formerly resident of the planet Skaro. They are the most malevolant species it has ever been my misfortune to encounter. Though, this 'assimilation' they mentioned, is a new spin." The Doctor said directly to Picard. "I have no idea what they are doing here though. They are indiginous to my Universe. Unless, the barriers between the universes has ruptured somehow. Yes, that must be it." 

"You know these creatures? How can they be destroyed?" Worf spoke, barely above a growl.

"The usual methods work best, shoot them till they don't move anymore. It's a tactic that has always worked in the past. And the future."

"Weapons are at 48 effectivness Captain. I do not hink they will be sufficient to penetrate the enemy vessel's shields. We also only have 2 quantum torpedoes left." Data stated matter of factly. 

"Contact all remaining ships in the fleet, converge on our position and engage the enemy. We need to deal with this now." Picard had stood up and taken two steps towards the view screen, as if to get a closer look at the looming ship as it got closer. 

Weapons fire flared from the Dalek vessel, it impacted on the shields of the Enterprise. "Return fire." The order, short but to the point. Beams of red light were visible on the screen, arcing outward from Enterprise to meet the Dalek vessel. The beams seemed to bounce inneffectually off the enemy ships shields. "Continue firing mr Worf." Again barrage after barrage filled the screen, joined by blasts from other ships joining the fight.

"Captain, if I may. Can you communicate with the Dalek vessel?" The Doctor asked as sweetly as he could manage in the circumstances.

"Why in the name of God would you want us to do that?" Again the tall man spoke, as he marched over to the Doctor. "They appeared right after you did. Maybe the two events are connected. Hm?"

"Yes, I'm beginning to suspect that they are. That is why I need to communicate with that ship."

"The combined weapons fire of the remaining fleet vessels is having no effect Captain." Data reported, "their shields are holding."

"Open a hailing frequency to the Borg, I'm sorry, Dalek vessel, Mr Worf." Captian Picard said. I want to know what is going on here. 

"Frequency open."

"This is the Doctor." The Doctor said to the blank viewer. "I know you can hear me, you don't need to respond. Just listen carefully. You know who I am, and I most certainly know who you are. You have two options here. You can retreat and keep your shiny new ship in one piece, or you can remain here and be destroyed."

"Doctor!" Came a vocal reply form the speakers. "Your appearance is most unexpected, and most unwelcome. You are the one who will leave. This is not your Universe, you and the wretched timelords have no dominion here, it belongs to the Daleks." A face, if you could call it that, appeared on the viewer. "Here, we have the power. The supreme power, belongs to the Daleks."

"Yes, yes, I've heard that so many times before Davros. You rant and rave, about a new Galactic order, then I pull off a master stroke, and kick your rear end into touch. Do we need to do this again?" The Doctor sounded almost exasperated.

"Your vessel's shields are failing, it's weapons cannot harm us, I do not see that you have the advantage here Doctor. Your ship, all these ships will be destroyed, and this world that you love so much will be assimilated into the Dalek collective."

The communication link ended swiftly. The Dalek attack continued unabated. The Doctor looked sorrowful as he took the three steps to the station at which Mr Worf was standing. "These are the weapons controls? Yes I thought so, have all the ships in your fleet remodulate their weapons to this frequency." The Doctor tapped a series of numbers into the control panel. Mr Worf looked at them.

"These settings will reduce phaser efficiency to a mere 25. You are trying to get us killed." 

"They will only need to be 25 effective, as they will cut right through the shields on that ship like a hot knife through butter."

"Try it Mr Worf, it would appear we have nothing to lose and everything to gain." The captain had turned away from the viewer and was now staring at the crestfallen Doctor. 

"All ships report ready."

"Then commence firing." New blasts streaked from not only Enterprise, but 5 other vessels within range of the Dalek ship. The beams impacted simultaneously on different areas of the Dalek shields, and continued right through the shields and impacted directly on the vessel itself. Huge erruptions took place at the points where the beams struck. The Doctor looked away from the view screen.

"The Dalek ship is retreating captain. It is maneuvering away at impulse speed." Mr Data turned from his station to look at this captain, "should we pursue?"

"Yes Mr Data, we cannot allow them to get away and regroup their forces. Pursue and continue the attack."

Mr Data turned back to his console and input some commands, and the ship started towards the now retreating Dalek vessel, firing as it went. Then the Dalek ship was gone. "They entered what appeared to be a Transwarp portal captain, it has already closed, further pursuit will not be possible."

"Very well, stand down red alert, but I want continuous scans of the area, I want to know if they return."

"Aye sir." data input more commands and the red lighting faded to be replaced by a softer amber glow.

"Thank you, uhm, Doctor? We owe you our lives." It was a short dark skinned woman, with eyes like pools of dark water who had spoken. "I am Deanna Troi, ships counsellor."

"Thank you Ms Troi. But I do not think that thanks are in order. I just caused the deaths of living creatures aboard that ship. Me! I sometimes forget that. But it was recently pointed out to me, I have been responsible for more deaths than I would care to count, and I have today, added to that total." 

The Doctor, stepped away from Deanna, and turned to face the bulkhead, his head hung low, with his hands covering his face. 

"Sir, the teams from McKinley say that the repair effort is being hampered by the Borg adaptions to our systems. They appear to grow back as soon as they are removed." Riker paused as he continued reading the report, "they say it could take up to 3 weeks to remove all of the borg components and begin the repairs proper."

"Unacceptable number one, I want every man they have on the repair crews, enhance them with our own teams, I want people working on this 24 hours. I want this ship ready to fight if needed." Picard crossed his ready room to the replicator, "tea, earl grey, hot." The console lit up briefly as a steaming cup of tea appeared in the slot.

"We have no idea how much, or more to the point, how little, time we have just bought ourselves Will, we need to be ready for anything." Picard returned to his chair. "I can still hear them Will. Their 'song'. It will always be there I suppose, but I know they will never give up. This new Dalek aspect does not change what they are or what they want. They will keep coming, and we need to be there when they come."

"I'll tell McKinley immediately sir." The Enterprise's first officer turned to leave but turned back, "That 'Doctor' wishes to see you captain. He says it is quite urgent." 

"Send him in. I want to know who he is anyway. I want to know if I should thank him or throw him in the brig."

"Aye sir" said riker with a wry smile on his face. 

"You say that you travel through space and time, in this? I find that hard to believe."

"Believe it Pasty head" Ace retorted. "This is one souped up time and space travelling hotel. It's just that the chameleon circuit's a bit mucked up."

"Aye, the Doctor was always gonna be fixing it too, he never got round to it though. None of them did." The young Scotsman added smiling.

The Tardis door was opened and the Doctor appeared carrying a large piece of equipment with him. "Right Mr Worf, I'm ready to see your Captain now, if you'd be so kind?"

The Doctor was marching down the corridor almost before Worf knew it. Worf Darted after him. "The Captain will see you, but I must ask you what that is that you are carrying." 

"Oh this old thing? Well, if I'm correct, your repairs are being hindered by alien technology that was grafted to your ship. Yes?" Worf grunted, "I'll take that as a yes. Well this little piece of kit will take care of that little problem for you." 

Ace and Jamie were left standing with two security guards all of them looking completely bemused. When someone walked along the hall. The hair on the back of Jamie's neck stood up in the presence of the mysterious dark skinned woman. "Hello, my name's Guinnan. I understand you two are 'new' here." jamie nodded. "Well, I always invite new arrivals to my place for a drink. Come on." She led the way to one of the turbolifts just a little way away from the Tardis. As she went she wistfully looked at the box, as though ancient memories were surfacing she then noticed the confused looks on the security guards faces, "You guys coming or not?" Jamie and Ace started after her with the guards in hot pursuit. 

"Well Doctor. Before I let you use your device, I need you to answer a few questions. Who the hell are you? How did you get on my ship in the middle of a battle? And how did you know how to circumvent the Borg, I'm sorry, Dalek shields?"

"Ah, just the basics then? Alright. My name is the Doctor, I'm a timelord from the planet Galiffrey, but I'm not from this universe. I was pulled here against my will by a CVE which almost destroyed my navigational systems. We actually materialised outside your ship on a collision course and had to make an emergency landing inside. I knew how to defeat the Daleks because I have been fighting them on and off for over a millenium! There, all up to speed? Good, now I want..." 

Picard held up his hand to stop the Doctor in mid sentence. "Do you honestly expect me to believe any of that? We have had our experiences with parallell worlds" Worf grunted as though he had had too many experiences with them, "but your story is unbelievable. You claim to be over a Millenia old?"

"Well, not this body obviously, but yes, I have been around for quite some time. But I get the feeling that you are going to take some convincing on that."

"So this is 'your' place is it?" Asked Ace as she walked in the door of Ten Forward. "Nice!"

"I do what I can! Drink?"

"Got any Vodka? I need a kickstart right about now. He'll have a water, he's hyper enough as it is." She nodded her head towards Jamie. 

"I hear that you come from another Universe. That true?" Guinan asked as she worked behind the bar.

"I couldn't tell you. The Doctor says so and he's never lied to me, well, this one hasn't lied to me anyway. So, I guess we are."

"A very round about way of saying yes don't you think? I've had experiences with other realities, not many of them ended very well. Tell me about yours. Ever been to Brighton?" 

"My God, it's... It's..."

"I think the words you're looking for are 'bigger on the inside than it is on the outside." The Doctor interjected as it looked like Commander Riker was going to go on all night. "This is my TARDIS, an acronym for Time And Relative Dimensions In Space. Effectively a time machine. It is dimensionally transcendental, which means that the interior exists in a seperate dimensional plane than the exterior, she can expand herself to accomodate almost any size or need."

Data looked around the console room in awe. "How is it powered?"

"It has a direct link to the Eye of Harmony. A harnessed perpetual supernova that my people created tens of thousands of years ago. It's power is almost limitless and can be directed in so many different ways."

"Alright, so you were maybe telling the truth about how you got here. But why should we trust you with that device, how do we know you aren't trying to destroy this ship?"

"Destroy the ship? That would be an act of unbridled stupidity on my part would it not Commander Riker? I need you and this ship, just as much as you need me and this device. I have no knowledge of your Universe, you by the same token have no knowledge of the Daleks and what they are capable of. I believe we have been thrown together by fate, we are destined to help each other."

Suddenly a light flashed on the console, the Doctor moved to it "It's a distress call, the TARDIS is programmed to respond to them immediately. I'll put it on the speaker."

"This is Gowron" a gruff voice sounded over the speakers. "Chancellor of the Klingon Empire calling on any sentient within the sound of my voice, the Klingon Empire has fallen. The Borg have..." The transmission ended abruptly.

"Gowron?" Worf almost whispered.

There was another noise from the TARDIS console as the rotor began moving. "What's going on Doctor?" Riker reached for his phaser instinctively.

"We're heading for the source of that distress call commander, as I said, the TARDIS is programmed to respond to all such calls."

"You're taking us to Qu'O'Nos? In the middle of a Borg attack?"

"I suppose I am."

"Oh hell!"


	2. Chapter 2

"Where the hell are my first and second officers, and my security chief?" The door to Ten Forward was still open when Ace and Jamie whirled around to see The Enterprise's captain march towards them with a look of fiery determination in his eyes.

"I give up. Where are they?" Ace replied, as flippantly as she could.

"They and your friend the Doctor have vanished. Your 'vessel has vanished, I am therefore forced to conclude that these events are connected." 

"What? The TARDIS is gone? Oh crap! We're stuck here. Where would he have gone?" The final question was directed to Jamie who merely shrugged.

"Crusher to Picard." The voice came from a hidden speaker somewhere above Ace's head. "Q is awake and is as usual making demands, he... Oh never mind." 

"Picard, we are in real trouble now." That voice came from a flash of light that quickly shaped itself in the form of a man, wearing the same uniform as Picard. "The whole fabric of reality is unravelling. This is a cataclysim on a glactic scale. We need to act now or perish."

"Q! What do you mean? A cataclysim? One that you're not involved in? I'm shocked." Picard not even trying to hide the disdain in his voice looked squarely at the new arrival, who Ace had just realised was the same person who had appeared, semi naked and battered, on the bridge. 

"This isn't the time for flippancy Jean Luc. The Universe is collapsing under it's own weight as we speak, and you stand their making jokes. Maybe I should have gone to Kathy with this one, it may be too big for you. Ah, dear Kathy, she wanted to mate with me you know? I had to let her down gently though, that first officer of hers, Chuckie, or whatever, would have only gotten even more jealous, and she has bad hair days that go on for years." 

"Q! What the hell are you talking about? Aren't you the one who said that time was short? Get on with it and then go away." Jean Luc's patience was wearing very thin by now and he had no inclination to listen to Q's reverie.

"Of course, you are right of course. Straight to the point. Well, something has arrived in our Universe that shouldn't be here. It's throwing the whole balance of the Universe out of kilter. and it's all connected to this ship. So what have you been up to?" Q looked fiercely at Picard.

Qu'O'Nos 

"Well this is pretty isn't it? A nice fiery sky with energy weapons fire everywhere." The Doctor didn't feel as bright as his comment as he ducked for cover as another volley of weapons fire went over his head.

"You're seeing the Klingon homeworld on a good day Doctor." Riker half smiled as he also ran for cover. "Your ship couldn't have landed in the council chamber could it?"

"That wouldn't have been as much fun now would it?" Yet more weapons fire, it seemed closer this time though.

"This way." Worf shouted, "it is a little known secret tunnel leading directly to the council chambers. My brother Kurn told me of it."

Worf led the way down the darkened, narrow corridor and it ended in a stone wall, quickly removed by a blast from Worfs sidearm. The small band quickly found themselves surrounded by a dozen armed Klingons, who did not look in the mood for explainations as to how they had arrived there. They all raised their weapons to fire, "Stop!" The order had been shouted in the same voice the Doctor had heard in the distress call received in the TARDIS. "Most of these people are known to me. Worf, Though you're recent actions may have strained our friendship, I am glad to see you."

Worf grunted, "where is my brother?"

"He has been, reassigned. he now controls one of our colony worlds in the Gamma Eridon system. I am sorry Worf, but I believe it was one of the first to fall to the Borg. I know your brother would have died honourably, but now is not the time to stop and mourn, lest others mourn us also."

"Then come with us Mr Chancellor" The Doctor ushered Gowron to the now gaping hole in the chamber wall, "my ship awaits, a tactical withdrawal is our best bet for survival now." 

Gowron nodded, even though he had never met this individual before, he spoke the truth, and as he travelled with Worf, he could not be too great a threat.

The Doctor led the way this time through the tunnel followed by the Enterprise crew and the surviving members of the Klingon High Council. He was the first to reach the other end of the tunnel and the first to fall into the trap.

The Doctor was wrenched from his feet by a bionic hand and felt something puncture his skin as two tubes entered his neck, then he began to scream, as millions of voices, speaking as on filled his mind at once... The voices spoke together and said simply, "Welcome Doctor, to the Borg/Dalek collective. Resistance is, as always, futile...

The Enterprise

Ten Forward.

"In approximately 1 hour the universe as we all know it will end."

"Q, How do you know? Is this another of your "tests"?" 

"No Jean Luc, this is quite, horribly, gruesomely real. Some time in the next hour the borg will bring about the destruction of the Universe."

"But how?" The voice came from behind Picard, he reccognised it so did not even turn to face Deanna Troi.

"The Borg will soon discover how to assimilate a Q! They will invade the Continuum, then conquer what is left of the Galaxy. But in destroying the Continuum, they will have allowed Entropy to run unchecked and the Cosmos will implode under it's own weight. Does that answer your question?" Q, usually always with a smile or grin on his face, looked deadly earnest, a fierce anger that made the ships captain and counsellor back away from him slightly.

"But you have the power to stop them? Don't you?" Picard asked through his shock. Any thought that Q could be lying evaporated with Q's last statement.

"I don't know Picard, but I have been sent back to find out." 

Q'O'Nos

"Doctor, are you alright?" Riker asked as he shot the Borg looming over the Doctor's prone form."

"We are Borg." Was the Doctor's only reply.

"We must kill it Commander." Worf immediately pointed his phaser at the Doctors head.

"Resistance is futile" The Doctor said as he got to his feet. Worf prepared to fire. "That's got to be the best one I've heard in a long time." The Doctor laughed. He looked up at Worf. "You can point that somewhere else right this instant or I'll get cross." 

Riker looked amazed as Borg implants burst forth from the Doctors cheek and spread spider like tendrils. "But... How?" 

"Oh this, " The Doctor said, "simple really, they may be speaking with billions of voices, but I've got the voices of 14 past lives in here as well, " the doctor tapped his temple, "so It's easy enough to keep them out. Let's get back to the Tardis."

The Enterprise

"Mr La Forge, how are the repairs going, we need to be underway as soon as possible."

"The device that Doctor gave us, has not only stopped the borg modifications, it's actually brought them under our control. I'd say we're good to go right now, as long as I can keep the borg bits and pieces under control."

Picard looked around Engineering, he didn't like the green glow that had developed, too many bad memories. "Very well Mr La Forge, we'll need warp speed by the time I get back to the Bridge." Picard turned and hurried to the turbolift.

"You'll have it sir" came La Forge's echoed reply as the lift doors closed. 

"Why the hell are we being kept here?" Ace stared directly in the face of one of the security officers guarding Jamie and herself.

"Captains orders."

"That's helpfull, isn't it Jamie?" Before Jamie could reply Ace continued, "If we knew where your crewmates were, we'd tell you. Our friend is gone as well but you don't see us holding you prisoner till we got him back do you?" The security guard smiled as though Ace were joking, his smile evaporated as he saw her fist heading straight for his face. The other guard raised his phaser to shoot. He was blasted from behind by a strange coloured beam.

"You didn't see me do that, right?" Was all Guinan could say. Ace smiled as she grabbed the weapon of the guard she had just knocked out.

"Now what do we do?" Jamie was already at the door of Ten Forward looking out for any unwanted visitors.

"We stay put. When the Doctor comes back, we need to be here." 

Q'O'Nos

"There's the Tardis, come on." 

"You will be exterminated." The voice came from behind the Tardis, and a shape moved from around one of it's corners. Something the Doctor had never seen before. A Dalek, with what appeared to be a Klingon head where the upper portion of the dome should be. It had arm like robotic apendages as well and one massive cannon like weapon in it's mid section. "You have been deemed unworthy of assimilation. All who are unworthy will be exterminated. You threaten the purity of perfection." There was a loud humming noise as the Dalek/borg's weapon powered up, aimed squarely at the Doctor.

"Unworthy? Don't make me laugh." The Doctor stared at the Dalek/Borg/Klingon hybrid with great intensity. His companions could almost see sparks fly between them. "I am the Doctor! Elected three times to the post of President of Gallifrey. I am one of only three beings in all creation to have held the key to time. I have spoken with Rassilon, beaten Omega, and you call me unworthy?" 

The Dalek stopped in it's tracks, a look of confusion crossed it's face. "You will be... You will be, you will make a cup of tea." Commander Riker almost laughed, "I am a little tea pot, short and stout, here's my handle, here's my spout..." 

"Come on everyone, it probably won't be long till the collective manages to regain control of it, and by the looks of that gun, I don't want to be here when that happens." The Doctor opened the TARDIS door and walked in.

"That is a ship?" Gowron asked?

"Yes it is..." Came the Doctors voice from what seemed to be quite some distance away. Everyone entered the ship and the doors closed immediately behind them. "Back to the Enterprise I think. I need time to work out exactly what's going on here. Your reality is becoming merged with mine, and not in a good way." The rotor began moving and the TARDIS was in flight.

The Enterprise

"Sir we are receiving multiple distress calls, from Klingon, Romulan and Cardassian space. It seems the Borg have launched attacks on all three fronts. Klingon reports indicate that their outer colonies fell within minutes. That's impossible. Isn't it?"

Picard looked at Ensign York standing at the tactical console, "No ensign, unfortunately anything is possible where the Borg are concerned. What is the reaction of the Klingon fleet?"

"Moving to intercept, they say that there appears to be only 1 Borg ship in Klingon space. The Klingons have mobilised almost their entire fleet to meet it, 184 ships in total. That ought to be enough don't you think?" The ensign looked more hopefull than sure of his question.

Picard gave no answer he just turned to the view screen to see a "work bee" fly past, on it's way to repair some part of the ship or other, McKinley station had reported that the repairs were still some hours from completion, not that it mattered, Starfleet had recalled 90 of the fleet, now there were 329 ships in close patrolling orbit of sector 001. The Borg would have a surprise waiting for them if they tried to attack again.

"Sir, an update from the Klingons! Their entire fleet has been destroyed or assimilated. Sir, one Borg ship did that, and it's still taking out star system after star system as it heads to the Klingon homeworld." Now Picard could hear the fear in the young mans voice. Not that he needed to, he could feel it radiate from the man. "Reports from Romulan space read almost identical to the Klingon situation, one Borg vessel, 100 casualties on the Romulan side. Long range scans of Dominion controlled Cardassian territory shows much the same thing. What are we going to do sir?"

The TARDIS

"How were you able to accomplish that sir?" Data looked at the Doctor in earnest fascination.

"Do what commander?" The Doctor didn't even look around as he spoke.

"You controlled that Borg. I have never seen that done before, how did you achieve it?"

"Well, it's a side effect of them trying to link me to their collective. I don't think they expected ME to be around long enough to work out how to use it against them. All I did was isolate that borg from the collective and then feed him my own commands."

"Fascinating. Assimilation is almost instantaneous in all species, your resilience is outstanding." 

"Why Thank you commander Data, that is kind, but another species is able to hold their own with the Borg. The Denobulans, their heightened immune system can delay the progress of the nanoprobes for up to 36 hours without too much discomfort or need for assistance."

"Denobulans? I do not think I am familiar with that species."

"What do you mean you don't know the Denobulans? The medical officer aboard the first starship called Enterprise was a Denobulan."

"You are incorrect Doctor, the first Doctor of the First Enterprise was a Doctor Phillip Boyce, he was succeeded by Dr Leonard McCoy, then in the year 2286 Dr Christine Chapel served briefly as ships physician during an extensive refit, until she was replaced by the more experienced Dr McCoy, who returned at the request of Admiral Kirk." 

"You have no record of a Denobulan named Phlox, serving aboard a starship Enterprise registry NX-01?"

"To my knowledge there has never been a Starship bearing that registry or name."

The Doctor looked flustered. But I have a memory of that ship. I don't know how I have it, or how I now remember everything else that has or should have or will happen. I think I'm losing my mind"

Elsewhere

"Yes Doctor. You are. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ..." 

The Enterprise.

"Picard, you have to listen to me. Time is unravelling. This moment will not exist in an hour. This entire timeline is being erased, and you have to stop it." Q looked exasperated, and perhaps even, genuinely scared as he spoke to the captain of the Enterprise. "How many times do I have to tell you this?"

"Q. I believe you. I just don't know what we can do to prevent a total collapse of time. It's a mindboggling event. What are we supposed to do?" Picard sat in his chair, with his tea cup in hand. Though he looked the image of calm he was secretly worried. "If this catastrophe has you worried, and I am forced to admit that you are far more powerfull than I, what do you expect of us?"

"There is someone who can help. He was here when I first arrived, I could sense it. He's on his way back now, with Riker and Worf. The ripples his Tardis cause in time, make him pretty easy to track. When he gets here, he'll be able to explain it all to you. It's all too much."

"Too much? Q, what happened?" Picard sat forward in his chair. Again he saw a glimmer of something in Q that hadn't been there before, was it, sadness?

"The Borg invaded the continuum in exactly 45 minutes time. My wife and my son were amongst the first to fall. They were assimilated. Jean Luc, my family is gone." Now Q could hold his pain in no longer and he collapsed onto the sofa in Picard's ready room. "We have to stop this before it happens. You have to help me save my family." Q looked almost piteous as he said the words.

Picard was stunned. He rested his cup on the table and stood, "Q. I never knew that you had a family. I'm sorry, I assure you we will do whatever we can to stop the borg and prevent this catastrophe. Is there no way that you can warn the Q, now, before the Borg invasion occurs?"

"No Jean Luc, what we are doing right now is too important, we need to keep it going for as long as we can. If I warn them about the attack, then everything stops in the blink of your eye. You see, Jean Luc, I am stuck between the rock and the proverbial hard place, and even with my powers, I can move neither."

The Tardis.

"So Doctor, you are telling us that there are whole segments of human history that we don't remember happening? That is just preposterous." Riker stared at the Doctor, who was picking at one of his newly acquired borg implants."

"That is exactly what I'm telling you commander. For some reason, you have no memory of the founding of your Federation, and I have no idea as to why you can't remember. But working it out is definitely on my to do list." The Doctor moved to the Console, "we'll be arriving onboard the Enterprise shortly. Tell me mr Data, what exactly can you remember as regards the foundation of the Federation?" The Doctor turned and looked in askance at the android.

"Since this conversation began, I have been attempting to access any memory files regarding those events. I can find none. It is most puzzling." 

"It's worse than puzzling Data, it's giving me a splitting headache. I hate this kind of thing. People tampering with time, with no regard for the consequences of their actions, it's just very, very, irresponsible of them."

There was a loud wheezing sound as the rotor at the core of the Console came to a stop. "Ah, we've landed, come on." The Doctor hit the switch responsible for the opening and closing of the ships main doors and headed out. Only to be faced with starfleet phasers. "Oh come on, I thought we had progressed past this. Commander?" He called in to the Tardis.

Riker appeared and smiled slightly as the security details surprised looks. "Stand down, he's with me. Kind of." The security team did as the ships first officer ordered and lowered their weapons. "Not bad Doctor, you managed to land us right in the aft section of the bridge. Now how the hell are we supposed to move around?"

"Oh I'll take care of that." The Doctor disappeared back into the Tardis and the door closed, the groaning noise returned and then faded along with the ship itself. The noise restarted almost immediately, but a short distance away. Riker could tell immediately, where the Doctor had materialised this time, another wry smile crossed his face.

"What the hell..." Was the bellow that came from the captains ready room. Followed by the sounds of the doctor trying to apologise for the intrusion. Riker could swear he also heard Q's voice in there. The doors to the ready room opened amd from the relatively small room came in rapic succession, The Doctor, Data, Worf, Gowron, Q and finally Picard. "I want this man taken to the brig. he has been assimilated." Picard pointed at the Doctor, and the guards, still slightly confused by the comings and goings of the strange little man snapped to carry out their new orders.

"It's all right captain, The Doctor is somehow able to resist the collective. In fact he was able to influence one of the drones we encountered on Qu'O'nos." Picard looked at his first officer, then back to the Doctor who stood still with an apologetic look on his face.

"Doctor, we have to stop them. They are destroying time itself. You are the one who can stop them." The bridge crew were taken aback by the near hysteria in Q's voice as he spoke. "We have very little time left, quite literally in fact." 

"I wish, I could help, I really do, but I still can't quite understand what's going on here myself." The Doctor placed his hand on Q's shoulder as he spoke. "I just need some time to find out exactly what needs to be done and..." The doctors sentence went unfinished as a bright flash occured behind him, he spun around to see a figure, an old figure, standing before him. Directly in front of the Enterprise's view screen.

_"As Q told you Doctor, time is short. You have the power to correct this corruption to the timeline. You must act."  
_  
"And you would be?" The Doctor asked.

_"You do not recognise me? I am surprised, I thought I had at least given you eyes to see."  
_  
"Guardian?..." 

The explainations.

The Enterprise bridge

"You are the White guardian? Aren't you?" The Doctor asked after regaining his composure.

"I am the embodyment of that being that is indigenous to this universe, yes."

"Well it's about time you showed up. What the devil is going on? How did I get here? What do you want me to do? What is happening to the timeline here? I need answers." The Doctor's voice raised with each question, till he was almost shouting the last.

"Have a care Doctor, you are addressing the Guardian of time here. He is not to be spoken to in such a manner." Q was immediately in front of the Guardian facing the Doctor, genuine anger in his eyes and face.

"Be still young Q. He who is my representative in all things is entitled to his tantrums. My dear Doctor, What is going on is, this Universe is being destroyed. You were brought here by my will to correct the corruption. You are to use all the powers at your disposal to defeat your adversary. The timeline of this universe is being eroded from the past forward. All of your questions are now answered in the order they were asked." The Guardian stood looking calm and radiant.

"Well, yes, you answered the questions, but you just raised more. How is the timeline being eroded?" The Doctor was reeling, but he needed more to go on than the half answers provided by the Guardian thus far.

"This timeline is being erased. The crew of this ship defeated the Borg at their first attempt to assimilate Earth in the past. But the Borg tried again, with the help of new allies. Earth was assimilated, followed rapidly by Vulcan and all other worlds that constituted their Federation. The Q are doing the job they were created to do. Their power is creating a pocket of temporal grace around our current time frame. What is here, in this time, will remain here until such time as the Q have exhausted their powers. What will exist, still exists in potentia. But the Q are weakening even as I speak. You need to know it all. Come" The Guardian turned and vanished, followed rapidly by the inhabitants of the Enterprise bridge.

Guardians world

"Well that was disconcerting." Picard picked himself from the ground and immediately looked around him. "Oh my..."

The others clambered to their feet, the federation crew drew weapons and tricorders. Data carried out a cursory scan with his tricorder, "It is an M class planet." He turned and looked in the same direction as his captain, and stopped as his eyes focussed on, The Guardian of Forever.

The Doctor rose and dusted himself down and also turned to the Guardian, "OK. It's a stone ring, why is everyone looking so awestruck?" 

_"This is my form in this Universe Doctor. This is the form in which these creatures associate me."_ The voice, deep and resonating seemed to come from the stone ring. _"In every Universe in existence, there is a guardian of time, but also there is an equal and opposite. That which you know as the Black Guardian. In this Universe he was imprisoned millenia ago at the heart of the Galaxy, by the inhabitants of the Q continuum. He has been freed by your opposite Doctor. The being chosen by the Black Guardian as his Avatar. With their combined power they have tipped the balance of power in their own favour. They have called forth allies from your home Universe, The Daleks. These events have resulted in the discordant events to which you have been witness."  
_

"We of the Q, have been the Black Guardians cell keepers for an eternity. Only once before has his captivity been threatened, by your redoubtably predeccesor Jean Luc." Q's voice had regained a little of his haughty demeanor. "Since his escape, we have worked to counter what damage he has inflicted on the Cosmos. We are currently maintaining a stable timeframe here and now. It's purely damage limitation, and as soon as the continuum falls, well, the Universe is right on it's heels."

_"You Doctor, have been granted the power needed to correct this. You may not realise it yet, but you will have unique insight into this Universe, you will see what has been, what should be and what will be. Combating these incongruities will be your primary task. All the powers available in each timeframe will be at your disposal. You must act Doctor."  
_  
"Why can't you do something?" The Doctor asked simply. "What have you been doing? Just sitting around like a lump of stone?" The Doctor looked at the Guardian, "well, OK, you are a lump of stone, but that's irrelevant. What have you been doing during this?"

_"I brought you here."  
_  
"Oh of course, you always get others to do your dirty work don't you? The White Guardian, never a speck of dirt on him. Always detatche..."

Before the Doctor could finish his rant, he found himself again staring at the view screen on the Enterprise, "well. That was just rude." The Doctor staggered slightly as though he had been struck. "The Borg are coming. In force this time. We need to gather our forces." The Doctor walked to the aft station and began tapping the console. "I need to send out the call."

"What call? To whom?" Picard followed the Doctor.

"A call to arms captain. To everyone."


	3. Chapter 3

Enterprise E: Bridge

"Sir, we are detecting massive transwarp signatures at the edge of the Solar System. It seems the borg are being carefull in their attack this time." Data stared intently at his console as he spoke.

"They know that we have weapons that can penetrate their shields, unless they have adapted to them already. How many ships Data? Can you tell yet?"

"Our sensor beacons did not last very long, but at last count, there were 187 distinct Borg signatures on approach."

"My God, what are we going to do?" As he spoke Rikers gaze swept the bridge from his captain who looked deep in thought, to the Doctor, standing at the tactical station with his eyes closed as though concentrating on something.

"We get ready to fight number one. This is the biggest battle the Federation has ever had to fight, and we need to win it. How long till the Borg arrive Mr Data?" 

"Ten minutes and 32 seconds captain." Data precise as always did not need his emotion chip to be activated to feel the fear permeating from his crew mates.

"Alert the fleet. Engage on contact with the borg. Use the new weapons modifications that the Doctor gave us. If they don't wk modulate our weapons and shields as per Borg directive 1"

"Help is on it's way Captain. It may take some time, I've never really done this before so it's all up in the air right now. But you will have back up." The Doctors voice almost a whisper came from behind the captain, Picard looked round at the Timelord. His eyes were closed, but he was sweating, the borg implants on his cheek still made Picard nervous.

"Sir, more transwarp signatures, they are appearing right on top of us." Data barely had time to finish the sentence before Two borg vessels appeared on the ships view screen.

"All ships engage." Picard shouted. Weapons fire lanced from the Enterprise and at least 12 other ships that were currently in range. The beams got through once using the Doctors modifications, and one of the ships exploded. The other however, survived. The new weapons modulations bounced off their shields as though they were nothing. The began returning fire.

"They have adapted captain. The bulk of the Borg fleet has accelerated and they will be here in less than 3 minutes."

"That was a trial run. They wanted to see if their adaptions worked before commiting their full force. Keep weapons on a modulating frequency, rotate the shield nutations, don't let them lock tractor beams on us." The crew, though nervous carried out their captains orders. "Now would be a good time for that back up you promised us Doctor."

"Sir, We are registering a temporal distortion to aft. There are ships appearing, approcimately 200 Romulan vessels, unknown configuration. We are being hailed by the lead ship."

"Hello again Captain Picard." 

"Sela. What are you doing here?"

"The Romulan empire recieved your distress call, and out of gratitude for your assistance with the whole Reman affair, I have been despatched with our fleet of Scimitar class vessels to assist you." 

"Reman affair?" Picard began.

"It hasn't happened to you yet, ignore it for now." The Doctor spoke again in hushed tones. "There's more to come."

"Another temporal distortion to Starboard." Data began, "Another hail"

"This is Chancellor Martok of the Klingon Empire, we stand ready to assist our Federation allies."

"That is another 354 ships captain, a combination of N'Egh'Var and Vor'Cha class vessels." Data put in.

"Chancellor Martok? I am the Chancellor of the Empire." Gowron growled.

"No more Gowron, you were found to be unworthy of ruling the Empire and you were, Removed."

"Unworthy?" Gowron roared. "You P'Tagh. Say that to my face coward!"

"Will you please shut up." The Doctor for the first time raised his voice. "I am pulling together any and all forces from future timelines that still exist, in an effort to save the Galaxy. You are fighting over ranks and titles? Have you no idea what's at stake here? You're acting like children!"

Gowron rounded on the Doctor and moved towards him drawing his D'K'Tagh as he walked. Worf stepped in front of the Doctor sternly facing down the Chancellor of the Empire he so loved. "You will not harm him!" Gowron growled again but backed off.

More ships appeared on screen, "This is Captain Braxton of the Federation Timeship Relativity, we stand ready to assist you Captain Picard." 

"Captain Daniels of the Timeship Aeon, also reporting, we have brought the entire Federation fleet with us. Including the Flagship, NCC 1701-J, captained by Jonathan Archer."

"Who? Oh wait, i don't really care, I'm just glad you're here." Riker was stunned, "Timeships eh?"

"There is one more force to come Captain. Their arrival is imminent." The Doctor said.

"That's as may be Doctor, but the Borg have already arrived." As Captain Picard spoke, Hundreds of Borg vessels appeared on screen.

"All ships. Engage at will!" 

"You have assembled quite a fleet, Doc-tor." The voice of Davros boomed throughout the bridge of the USS Enterprise. "So many ships to destroy and so little time in which to do it. But of course, time is relative ha. You will join my collective willingly or otherwise, as will your friends." Davros stressed the final word of the sentence; he knew the Doctors weakness, his one Achilles heel, his love for his friends. He was not above using that to his advantage.

"You won't win Davros, All of time and space is at risk because of what you are doing here, reality is warping and you don't even see it. You cannot be allowed to win this. Too much hangs in the balance." The Doctor still standing at the tactical and communications station on the bridge, stared defiantly at the view screen, filled as it was by the hideously deformed face of his mortal enemy Davros.

"You will see Doc-tor, I have the upper hand in this meeting. My forces far outclass yours, if you lower your shields and surrender, I shall make your assimilation swift and painless, you have my word." Davros sneered on the screen as the Doctor laughed.

"Your word is worthless Davros, I have known you for long enough to know that. We shall be the victors in this battle. Though," the Doctor paused, "there doesn't need to be a battle at all. You know as well as I do, the fabric of reality is being worn very thin here, if we could stop this pointless fighting, we could repair it and put everything back to where it was."

"I was unhappy with the way things were Doc-tor, the new order I create here today, shall be perfect in every respect. The Universe shall be at peace for the first time ever, all peoples will work together to a common goal…" 

"Get that thing off my view screen, I've heard enough." Picard did not even try to hide his disgust at what he had seen and heard. Davros's image suddenly blinked from the screen. "All ships prepare for combat. Engage nearest viable targets. Make it so." 

The screen filled once more with blazing beams of light and flashes of torpedoes seeking out their targets. The Dalek fleet seemed to be at a standstill, waiting for something, and then they struck back. The first wave of Dalek ships took out half of the Romulan contingent in what seemed like seconds. The Enterprise found herself trapped in a tractor beam of Borg design, "Modulate our shield nutations, and continue firing on the lead ship." Picard sat back in his chair to watch as the view of space before him turned into an image of fire and death.

"We have intruders, Deck 4 captain." Data, normally would have elaborated on the exact location, but in situations like this, he had learned that too much information was frowned upon.

"Security to Deck 4, engage and destroy the intruders!" As Picard spoke he knew, his ship had barely escaped from one encounter with the Borg recently, and his crew compliment was greatly diminished, but he knew that those who remained, would fight to their last. Just as he would do.

Deck 6.

"So why did we leave ten forward again?" Ace asked. 

"To try and find the Doctor, Jamie said as he turned to Guinnan, "That's right isn't it?"

Guinnan simply nodded. "Ok, I agree, we have to find him, but these sirens are getting a bit annoying, can we turn them off at all?" Ace again asking the question, staring at Guinnan. She still had no idea why she had agreed to leave the relative security of Ten Forward, it was a relatively secure position, easily defended against, well, whatever decided to come and try and kill them.

A shimmering light appeared in the corridor in front of the little group, a hideous creature took form. "You will be assimilated!"

"What the Hell is that?" Ace shouted as she raised and fired her commandeered phaser in the same second. The beam bounced ineffectually off a shield that appeared around the creature.

"It looks like it was once a Cardassian, but it's been augmented with Borg, and, is that Dalek technology?" Guinnan could not hide the disgust in her voice, she didn't really want to. Guinnan raised her weapon and began firing in concert with Ace. Neither weapon seemed effective. Jamie lunged forward and hurled his skein dub'h at the borg/dalek/cardassian. The small dagger passed through the shield as though it wasn't even there and struck the creature in the forehead. It let out a small cry and began to shriek.

"Under attack, under attack. Drone 8921658 is under attack, cerebral processes impaired, nanoprobes bypassing. Bypass in progress…" Its litany was stopped by a final blast from Guinnan's formidable rifle.

"How did you know it would work?" Jamie stared at Guinnan, almost in awe.

"Well, it said it itself, your dagger damaged it's processor, I hoped that meant it wouldn't be able to adapt to the blast."

"But how did his knife get through the shield anyway?" Ace was mystified.

"It was probably too primitive, the Borg are used to being attacked with energy weapons, they probably didn't expect anyone to hurl knives at them. We've got to find the Tardis." Guinnan began running down the corridor to the nearest turbolift shaft, "you coming or what?" Ace and Jamie followed.

The Bridge.

"Evasive manoeuvres ensign." Picard barked the order at the young ensign at helm. The ensigns fingers danced over the control panel and the ship began to list and turn. "Continuous fire Mr Worf. I want to inflict as much damage as possible on the Borg, if we are to fall today, we will make sure we do not go alone." The Doctor could see beams of red light lance out across the gulf of space between the Enterprise and the Borg ships.

"It's not enough. We need more. We need more." The Doctor closed his eyes again as he spoke. Picard turned and saw the Doctor chanting as though in prayer. Picard wished, just this once that he could indulge in that practice. 

Deck 5

"This is where we landed the Tardis, but it's moved." Ace looked at Guinnan, as she spoke.

"Well the Tardis is back now, that much is certain, it just didn't materialise right here." Guinnan replied.

Jamie looked at the dark skinned woman in awe, "How can ye tell the Tardis is back?"

Guinnan beamed a broad smile, "You hear that siren? That means we're at red alert, that usually means that the Doctor is aboard" Ace just smiled, she knew Guinnan was right. 

"You will be exterminated!" The three allies looked around to see a Dalek/Borg turning the corridor and advancing towards them. "You have been identified as allies of the Doctor, you must be exterminated."

"Charming!" Shouted Ace as she raised the phaser in her hands, knowing full well that it was next to useless against the shields of the monstrosity advancing on them. "Any more of those knives Jamie?"

"The only one I had is still in that beastie downstairs." Jamie shouted over the din of phaser fire.

Guinnan reached deep into the pocket of her bartenders smock and pulled something out. "Come on old girl, I hope you remember me." She clasped the piece of metal tightly and closed her eyes.

The Bridge.

"What is that infernal racket?" Picard looked towards his ready room, where the cacophony was evidently coming from. "Doctor? What the devil is your machine doing?"

"Leaving apparently." Was all the Doctor said. She must have picked up another distress call. Probably be back with a few refugees any minute. Meanwhile we have some more friends arriving."

"Captain, several vessels approaching at high warp." Warp signatures would appear to be… Dominion?" Data re-checked his sensor data and confirmed, more for himself than anyone else that his readings were correct.

"I thought you said these would be friends Doctor?" Picard rounded again on the Doctor.

"I did, and they are. Look." 

Picard turned to the viewer once more and saw the Dominion fleet come out of warp speed and immediately open fire upon the Borg vessels.

"Captain, the polaron based weaponry on those ships is having an effect on the Borg shields, the are fluctuating." Data stated. "Orders sir?"

"Intensify fire on the affected Borg vessels, we need to take advantage of even a moments weakness." Picard looked as he saw flashes of red, illuminating the darkness of space around his and the other ships engaged in the fight. "We might just have a chance after all."

Deck 5.

"That sounds like the Tardis?" Jamie asked as he heard the faint noise getting louder, like rumbling thunder, rolling ashore from the sea.

"It is. She remembers me." The smile on Guinnan's face was huge, and genuine. The Tardis finally materialised fully, less than a meter from where the group were standing. Guinnan opened her hand and revealed..

"That's a Tardis key. How did you get your hands on a key to the Tardis?" Jamie was astonished as the key seemed to glow in Guinnan's hand. She reached out and put the key in the lock, and the door opened. 

"All aboard." Guinnan said as she held the door open long enough for Ace and Jamie to enter.

Elsewhere.

"You can all upon all of the allies you wish Doctor, this Universe has scant seconds left to live, and you along with it. I swore vengeance upon you doctor, and I am about to have it, Ha ha ha ha ha ha." 

The Bridge.

"Now Q. Go." The Doctor shouted. 

"What? Where?" Q looked at the Doctor, stunned. 

"Narendra 3. you have only seconds to save the Q there from being assimilated, GO!" Q simply tilted his head and was gone. "Right, that's one problem down, we only have these ships to deal with now."

"Oh? Is that all?" The deadpan humour of Riker's comment caught everyone off guard, there were nervous sniggers from all around the bridge. Even Picard smiled, though it was wan.

"There it is again. Your machine is returning, I assume it will be in the ready room again?" Picard looked at the Doctor.

"Oh, I don't know, she goes where she pleases these days. There's just no talking to her sometimes. Suddenly the doors to Picard's ready room opened and Guinnan and the Doctors two companions exited the small room.

"There ye are Doctor. We were getting a wee bitty worried about ye." Jamie smiled.

The Doctor however was focussing on Guinnan. She smiled, "Hello again. I told you we'd meet again.

"Romana?"


	4. Chapter 4

The Enterprise Bridge.

"Hello again Doctor. How are you?" Guinnan looked at the Doctor with a smile that glowed from ear to ear. It somehow managed to grow larger as she saw the Doctor agog with surprise.

"Dinna be daft Doctor, this isna' Romana, it's Guinnan. We left Romana on Galifrey." Jamie said with more than a modicum of determination.

"I'm sorry Jamie, but I am Romana. Or at least I was, when I came back through the Warriors gate, something happened. I ended up here, with no way home. So I made a new home here."

"Not to put a damper on this reunion, that we will discuss later Guinnan, but we are in the middle of a battle for our very survival here Doctor." Picard stated so matter of factly that the Doctor was jarred out of his reverie. 

"You're absolutely correct captain, there is work to be done. I have found more allies who are willing to help us, they should be here presently."

"Their arrival will not be a moment too soon, our forces have been diminished incredibly." Data reported, "The Klingon fleet is almost completely routed, the Romulan forces are trying to regroup on the Dark side of the moon, and we are being hailed by the lead Dominion ship."

"Put them through Data. This is Jean Luc Picard, to whom am I speaking?" 

"I am Odo, representative of the new Confederation of planets, what was formerly known as the Dominion. Our forces are having some success with the Borg, but they are overwhelming us, there appears to be no end to their numbers."

As if to prove the point Data spoke, "27 more Borg ships have just exited transwarp and are taking an offensive posture."

"When are these allies due to arrive Doctor?" Picard looked again at the Doctor.

"Now."

"Sir, sensors indicate massive subspace distortions all around us 18 ships of unknown configuration have dropped out of, of, I cannot determine their means of propulsion." Data said, clearly perplexed.

"This is Commander Balok, of the First Federation ship Fesarius, in the name of all reality, we come to challenge the evil."

"The First Federation?" Picard, sat in his chair, "Mon Dieu, I had never thought it possible that I would encounter one of their ships, now I'm surrounded by 18 of them."

"Come on Romana, we have work of our own to do." The Doctor darted past Romana, into the Captains ready room. Ace darted after the pair, desperate to find out what was going on. The Tardis door was already open and Ace strode in.

The Doctor was positioned under the console, while Romana darted around the controls touching controls, and, occasionally, hammering her fist down on the console. That was the last bit of proof that Ace needed, this woman was Romana, she knew exactly how to control the Tardis, and this Tardis in particular. "So what are you two doing Doctor?" Ace looked under the console to where the Doctor was shuffling about rewiring and prodding with his sonic screwdriver.

It was Romana/Guinnan who answered, "These type 40 Tardises are old enough to have the Rassilon protocols in their memory banks, we're trying to bypass the Presidential level lock outs so that we can actually read them."

"How's that? Do we have access?" The muffled shout came from the Doctor. 

"Not yet, wait, we've got the front page. Woe unto you who looks upon the word of Rassilon. Sounds like it's going to be a charming read Doctor." Guinnan stated glibly.

"I just need to adjust a few more controls and we should have full access. I was the President three times you know?"

"Yeah, but she still is Doctor." Ace added, "In our Universe anyway, she smiled in a lopsided way at Guinnan, who returned the sentiment with a smirk of her own. "You're noting like your other self you know?" 

"What do you mean?" Guinnan asked.

"She's so, I don't know, prim and proper, a by the book kind of girl, you know? You seem so much more… I don't know, you know?" Ace suddenly lost the ability to articulate her thoughts.

"Well, I've had a few lifetimes in this universe to learn how to relax. If we survive this, I'll take you to Risa and show you how." Guinnan smiled full on at Ace again, and Ace couldn't help but smile back. 

The Bridge.

"Sir, the Romulans are gone, their lead ship is taking heavy fire and their shields are failing." Worf tried to hide the faint glow of satisfaction from his voice. 

"Beam survivors to sickbay." Picard didn't dare look away from the screen, he saw lights flash and ships explode, but none of them seemed to belong to the Borg, they were winning, and he was helpless to do anything about it. "Worf, open fire on the Borg ship at, 243 by 332, lets see if we can distract them long enough for that Klingon cruiser to get away." He could at least help where he could.

"Aye sir, coming about. Firing. Weapons are having no effect Captain. continuing to fire." Worf was doing exactly what Picard would expect from an officer he had helped train, anticipating, exactly what his captains orders were going to be. 

Tardis.

"How's that?"

"We're in Doctor, the files are open, what are we looking for?" The Doctor was at Guinnan's side faster than she thought possible.

"I'll know it when I see it. The Doctor scanned the file listings, and stopped as he reached the one that he wanted. "There, if I'm right, opening that file will give us the upper hand."

"And if you're wrong?" Ace asked.

"We won't live long enough to think about it too much." The Doctor replied with forced cheeriness, "but when have you ever known me to be wrong?" 

"Where do you want me to begin?" Ace answered smirking. 

The Doctor closed his eyes and pressed the button, to open the highlighted file, with his fingers crossed. Guinnan saw the title of the document the Doctor was opening. "You can't be serious? We can't use that. It's been outlawed for millennia, it could completely destroy space time."

"It could destroy this timeline, yes, but this timeline shouldn't exist, so who's going to miss it eh?" The Doctor smiled, or at least his mouth did, his eyes didn't seem to get the joke, as they remained steely and grey. 

The Doctor strode out of the Tardis and began looking around the ready room. "There it is, an ODN outlet, just what we need." The Doctor pulled the panel from the wall and ripped wires from it, and dragged the still live connections into the Tardis.

Bridge 

"The First Federation ships have destroyed 43 Borg vessels so far, and their shields appear to be holding."

"If only we had shields and weapons like that, we'd be on top right now." Riker said wistfully. Troi smiled at him.

"We'll get through this Imzadi, somehow, I know we will."

Data spoke again, "Captain, the Borg have successfully assimilated one of the First Federation ships, they have adapted to their weapons and their shields are being compromised, they are in retreat."

"Damn, How many ships do the Borg have left?"

"89 Borg ships are still active and engaged in hostilities."

"How many do we have?" Picard knew before he asked that he would not like the answer.

"27, correction 26 the Klingon flagship has been destroyed." Data spoke dispassionately. Picard envied his second officers lack of emotion more than ever now.

"Sir, our weapons systems have just failed. We have no means of attack left." Worf practically shouted.

"LaForge? What happened to our weapons?" Picard spoke to the intercom system.

"No idea Captain, it seems the entire ODN network has been diverted, all capacity is being directed to, your ready room Captain."

Picard's eyes darted to the door to the small room and he stood. Ready to stride in, when the doors opened.

"Hail Davros, I want to give him one more chance to surrender." The Doctor Walked through the door, and glanced at Picard as he stood in the centre of his bridge.

"Do it Mr Worf."

"Frequency is open sir."

"Davros, it's me. The Doctor. I have decided to give you one more chance to surrender."

"Doc-tor, you never cease to amuse me. Well, you will soon, when you die." Came the rasping reply as the view screen was filled with the hideous image of Davros.

"I warn you Davros, I can destroy your entire fleet, right here, right now, but I'm giving you the chance to leave, return to your home dimension and leave us to undo the damage you have done here." Davros just laughed.

"I am not a fool Doctor, you have no more tricks up your sleeve. I know you too well Time lord. You fought well against us during the war, and you won. But then out of guilt and sadness you broke your cardinal vow and undid your victory."

"But." The Doctor was visibly shocked, "how can you remember that? You should have no memory of those events, I made sure.."

"I have an ally Doctor, one who knows you better than you know yourself. He knows all of your secrets, all of your lies, and he has shared them with me. Do your friends know what you did Doc-tor? Should I tell them?" The gleeful tone in Davros's voice was plain and open. "You destroyed our entire fleet, in defence of Galifrey, but did your friends and fellow Time Lords thank you? No, because you killed them as well. To destroy us, you destroyed your own home." Guinnan stared at the Doctor, her eyes filled with tears, she saw the Doctor shake, as the past was brought back to haunt him.

"Then, you undid your crime. The cardinal law of time states that you cannot change the past, but you did, you stole our knowledge of time travel Doctor, preventing the Time wars from happening. But I remember it all. I know…"

"You know nothing!" The Doctor shouted at the screen. "I regretted my actions for centuries, it was no easy life for me, but at least you weren't there. I brought my home back, in doing so, I brought you back. Do I regret it? No, because I will always find a way to defeat you. Today is no different. I have equipped this vessel with a temporal wave cannon. I will use it if you force me to Davros." A strange look of fear, and awe crossed the hideous face on the viewer, as it blinked off. "Tell me they're leaving. Please?" The Doctor looked wearily about him.

"The Borg or should I say, Dalek, fleet is moving." Data said, "on an intercept course with us."

"How many of their ships are headed here?" Picard asked.

"All of them it would appear."

"If you power up your main phaser banks captain, the cannon will begin to charge." The Doctors voice, barely above a whisper as he slumped into Commander Riker's chair and buried his face in his hands.

"Doctor? Can this weapon really do what you say?" Picard sat, next to the Doctor, almost compelled to comfort this strange man who had appeared such a short time ago, on his ship.

"Yes," came the muffled response. The Doctors face never leaving his hands, "it will."

"Captain, we may have a problem." Worf spoke from the tactical station, "we have more transwarp signatures on sensors, they are bringing in reinforcements."

"Let them come. They can die with the others." The Doctor's voice sounded distant and strained, as though he were fighting back sobs.

"Phaser power is now at 100 captain, no, 115 and still rising." Worf was stunned by the readings on his console.

"Let them get as high as 400, then let them have it." Guinnan's voice, like the Doctor's, barely audible.

"Sir, ships are exiting transwarp now." Data announced. "179 Borg… Cubes? And one Intrepid class starship."

"We are being hailed by the Borg ships and the federation ship."

"Put them both on screen"

"This is Captain Catherine Janeway, starship Voyager, I hope we haven't missed all of the fun?"

"Hello Locutus." Picard froze, as the image of the Borg queen filled the left hand side of the view screen. "Let us deal with this, internal matter, as your prime directive dictates."

"The cubes have opened fire on the Dalek/Borg fleet." Data emotionless though he was, sounded shocked as he said the words.

"We are the Borg." The voice, Picard knew it, so sweet, so innocent sounding, but along with it, he could hear the voices of billions. "You have supplanted us, and that will not be tolerated. We have assessed your defensive capabilities, and they will be insufficient. You will be destroyed. You have tainted us, for long enough."

"The Dalek fleet is being routed Captain." Worf exclaimed. "Half of their forces have been destroyed already."

"The Borg are usually true to their word, how is it progressing?" Picard said wistfully.

"It is over! The Dalek fleet has been completely destroyed. The Borg however, are at full strength." Data's fingers danced over his console, gleaning as much information from the ships sensors as he could.

"We shall dance again Locutus, when you hear our song, think of me."

"The Borg are jumping to transwarp. They're gone." Data still worked his console, eyes never moving from the sensor logs.

"That's it? It's over?" Riker asked.

"Would you have preferred to die Commander?" Guinnan asked, her lopsided smile working hard to diffuse the stifling atmosphere on the bridge. The Doctor still did not move. Jamie crossed to him and placed his hand on the Doctors shoulder. The Doctor looked up, tears flowing freely from his eyes.

"I almost did it again Jamie! How can I be so stupid? How can I……." The Doctors tears became uncontrolled and he shook in the first officers chair, all eyes on the bridge, filled with a mixture of sorrow and curiosity, were fixed on him. He neither noticed, nor cared.

**Epilogue**

Enterprise Bridge.

"So, uhm, is it over?" Ace looked around her, not entirely sure what was going on anymore.

"It would appear so, all hostile vessels have either been destroyed, or left sensor range." Mr Data turned from his post and looked at her with his earnest yellow eyes.

"Ah, that's all right then. Those metal beasties will na' be botherin' us again. Ugly beasts they were too." Jamie smiled at Ace, who couldn't help but return the grin. She turned to the chair that was occupied by the Doctor, he did not look happy though. If anything, he looked like the weight of the Universe had been dumped squarely on his shoulders.

"Are you alright Doctor?" She walked the short distance to where her friend sat, laying a concerned hand on his shoulder.

"I killed them all Ace."

"No you didn't, those big cubes came along and destroyed them." Ace added in a chirpier tone than she actually felt.

"I don't mean them, I mean the Time lords, Galifrey, the Daleks. I destroyed them all. In one second, I saw them all burn, the end to the fourth and final Great Time War." The Doctor stressed each word, Ace realised, this was what he had been keeping from her. The hidden pain that he couldn't, or wouldn't, share with her unless it was necessary.

"I destroyed it all, I wiped out my home planet to destroy the Daleks for all time, to save the Galaxy from suffering. The out of guilt, I undid it. I brought them back. This is all my fault. I am so sorry." The Doctor was now physically shaking now and Ace squeezed his shoulder a little tighter to try and absorb the pain from this gentle man she had grown to care so much for.

"No one can blame you for wanting your home back Doctor." Picard had retaken his seat in the centre of the bridge. "There are events in all our lives where we wish we could go back and correct mistakes, tweak history to make it better for ourselves."

"I made it better for myself at the cost of countless lives, how can I justify that? Tell me? How can the lives of billions outweigh the cost of trillions of lives? It can't!"

"The past cannot be undone." Guinnan stepped out of the shadows at the turbolift, bathed in the red glow of the alert lamps, still flashing as though the crisis had not passed. "You destroyed our people Doctor, but you saved countless lives in doing so. The Daleks would have won mastery over time, no sacrifice was too great for that."

Fire filled Guinnan's eyes as she spoke, "How many have paid the price for your foolhardy self interest? How many? Do you even know? Can the Tardis computer tell you?"

"Do not be so harsh on him my child." The Glowing figure of the Guardian filled the front section of the bridge, "he was selfish, yes, but he has been punished for it. He punished himself far more than anyone else could. Despite bringing his people back, he travelled alone for centuries, isolated, adrift in mind, body and spirit." The Guardian moved toward the Doctor now, "but all things that happen are dictated to happen, do you think that such a drastic change to the timeline was not predestined? He suffered a far greater loss in exchange for his actions. What was her name? Rose was it not?"

Ace could feel the Doctor shaking harder than ever in her grasp, his tears returned, he wept openly now with his hands clenched tightly around the arms of the chair. "That's enough!" Ace openly shouted at the Guardian, "He's suffering, if you think you can come here and rub salt in the wound, you're dead wrong. I know that you're supposedly all powerful, probably invincible, but I will not let you stand there and cause him any more pain. You hear me?" Ace smiled as Jamie moved to her side, a look of fierce determination on his face, the two fleas were facing the lion, with not a hint of fear in their eyes.

"Child, you misunderstand. I am here not to accuse or to punish the Doctor, merely to put things into perspective for all of the parties involved. He was no more in control of his destiny than any of you are, all is pre-ordained. If it should not happen, it will not happen, it is as simple as that."

"No! You cannot determine someone's destiny. They have to make their own choices, their own mistakes, learn and grow." The Doctor had somehow gotten loose from Ace's grip and stood now in front of the Guardian. "You lie as freely as your counterpart, you have no power but what we give you. And now, I say you have no power here. Leave!" 

A half smile crossed the Guardian's face as he vanished. "We shall see who is correct Doctor, you still have much work to do."

"Come on Jamie, Ace, we're leaving. The crisis has passed, time should be resetting itself and we shouldn't be here when it does." He strode purposefully towards the door of the Captains ready room, and to the Tardis. He turned to Guinnan; "You can come with us if you wish." Guinnan merely turned and stalked to the turbolift doors and was gone. "I had to try."

Before the bridge crew of the Enterprise could react they heard the noise of the Tardis starting up. And fade almost as quickly. "Such a strange little man. I hope to never see him again." Jean Luc Picard looked around him, and then directly at Q. "I suppose, we won't remember any of this when things reset?"

"Not a bit of it!" and Q also was gone.

"Captain, we have finally restored internal sensors and we are reading a mass anomaly in the shuttle bay, it would appear that we have one more shuttle craft than we should." Data said looking at his console.

"Did we pick up any shuttles from other ships?"

"Negative sir. This would seem to have appeared only recently."

"Security to shuttle bay." Worf was already in motion, and in the turbolift before the captain had finished issuing the order.

Main shuttle bay.

"Which one is it?" Asked one of the security officers who arrived scant seconds after Worf.

"My guess would be the one with the unknown humanoid inside." Worf said looking at his tricorder and walking towards one of the little craft. He stopped next to the shuttle that his tricorder indicated, "Exit the shuttle and make no sudden movements.

"I think not, my Klingon friend. I must be off, I have plans to bring to fruition." The voice boomed throughout the hangar, and then Worf heard the now familiar sound of a Tardis dematerialising, as the shuttle vanished. 

"Uhm sir? What are we doing in the shuttle bay?"

"I…. I am not sure ensign" Worf replied. We should report to sickbay I think."

Another Tardis.

"First round to you Doctor. I didn't think you had it in you. And I know you so well………"

The Doctors Tardis.

"So where to now Doctor?" Ace stared at the Doctor, worry etched across her face.

"Normally I would say, I don't know. But this time, I know for certain that we're heading for that CVE."

"Not again?"

The Tardis shook again as it was dragged towards the mouth of the anomaly. And then was swallowed by it.

After the shaking ended. Ace noticed that the rotor on the console had stopped. "So we've landed? Right?"

The Doctor was at the console as Ace picked herself up. "It would appear so, and would you believe, we're on Earth. America in fact. The city of Seattle to be exact."

"Let's go outside and have a look see shall we?"

"Doctor? I don't know what's up, but I feel strange." Ace blinked slightly.

"Do you want to stay here? We have been through quite a bit lately. You should rest." 

"No, I feel as though I have to go. Something here isn't right"

The Doctor looked at her, genuine concern on his face. "If you're sure?"

The Tardis door opened. On a dark street "Oh hello there, sorry about our sudden arrival there. Are you alright young lady?"

"She's fine English, but you stay where you are."

"May I ask you, why are you holding a wooden stick to my chest?"


End file.
